


Lost and Safe

by tirsynni



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Hurt Link, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:21:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29804238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tirsynni/pseuds/tirsynni
Summary: In which Revali is trying to save a wounded Link and Link offers the Lost Woods of all things as a sanctuary.
Relationships: Link/Revali (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 129





	Lost and Safe

**Author's Note:**

> More from my personal Halloween 2020 challenge. :D

“You’re going to be fine, you  _ idiot _ . You  _ shouldn’t _ be, and aren’t you grateful I’m here? Where would you be without me?”

Of course Link didn’t answer. Link’s head lolled on Revali’s shoulder, body limp in Revali’s arms. Revali was used to seeing Link still, but it was the stillness of a statue or a soldier, not like this.

Some part of Revali had actually believed in that untouchable act of Link’s. It made him wonder which one of them was the bigger fool --

No. No. It was Link. It was always Link.

Revali cursed under his breath and looked around. They were at the borders of the Lost Woods, he knew that month. If he wasn’t careful, the shadows of the forest would swallow them both up and Link was the only one who knew how to confidently navigate that madness.

Link, who wasn’t waking up.

“What were those things, anyway?” Revali grumbled. He looked around but only saw gathering shadows. Soon, it would be too dark for even a Rito to see. Still, the birds were singing again, and he saw a buck in the distance right before it bolted in the opposite direction. Earlier, when  _ they _ attacked, there had been nothing but silence.

“They almost looked like Moblins or something,” Revali grunted. It was possible, just possible, that he was getting tired. Even a Champion like himself would get tired after hours of investigating and then fighting… fighting…  _ something _ capable of dropping even Link! Well, not  _ even _ Link but capable of knocking a Champion unconscious! “But I’ve never seen a Moblin that looks like that before.”

Link didn't answer. Not like he would even if he was conscious.

Revali hissed and looked around. It was getting dark, the animals were noisy again, and if he kept going he would end up in the damned Lost Woods with that damned creepy fog and the fucking faceless laughter. Only Link seemed able to handle it, and he  _ wouldn’t wake up _ .

“You annoying bastard,” Revali gasped. 

Revali looked around again but saw nothing but two doe grazing in the distance. They were quiet shadows in the rising dark, strangely peaceful with the chaos behind them and the Lost Woods…  _ somewhere _ around them. Safe enough to settle down.

Safe enough to put Link down.

Another quick look around and then Revali carefully lowered Link down beside a tree before sitting down beside him. He leaned down to check Link’s breathing and startled when he saw Link’s eyes open and staring at him. Dazedly, true, and not quite focusing, but definitely open. 

Revali clacked his beak at him. “When did you wake up, you asshole? I’ve been carrying you around for hours!”

Or twenty minutes. One of those.

Link blinked at him, not looking like he was registering Revali’s valid complaint. Then he groaned and lifted a shaky hand to his head. “You  _ were _ carrying me?” There was a slur to Link’s voice which Revali disliked. Link didn’t talk often but Revali knew he didn’t sound like that.

Shit.

“Revali?” Link sounded lost, and he certainly wasn’t supposed to sound like that. None of this was good, but Revali couldn’t deny that it was, possibly, maybe  _ nice _ for Link to be staring at him with such wide eyes, like Revali could fix whatever was wrong with him. 

And Revali  _ could _ . Revali would handle this. Revali would make everything okay. 

An urge to coo at Link and rub his beak against Link’s hair took him by surprise. Revali scowled instead and tried to check on Link’s injuries. The bruise on his forehead which knocked him out. A long scratch down his arm. A blackening bruise around his wrist. Other bruises and scrapes. Revali tried to look at Link’s eyes again, see if he was focusing better, but it was too dark. He couldn’t even make out his scratches and bruises clearly anymore.

They needed a campfire, but then that could lead those strange monsters straight to them. Dammit.

“We’re close to the Lost woods,” Link whispered. “Let’s go there.”

It was dark, but Revali hoped Link’s vision was still good enough to see his disbelieving stare. “The Lost Woods,” he said flatly. “Why.”

Link shook his head and then grimaced so visibly that Revali could see it. He pressed a hand to his head. “We’ll be safe there.”

“Safe,” Revali echoed. Safe in the Lost Woods, where people got lost forever and turned into monsters and --

“Revali,” Link said quietly.  _ Pleadingly _ . He touched Revali’s shoulder and leaned into him and Revali felt something break in him.

“Fine, fine,” Revali hissed. He sighed, looking around. He saw… trees. And shadows. And nothing resembling a path. Great. “Do you know which way to go?”

Link started raising one shaky hand, only to pause. He tilted his head to the side, then kept going. Revali wrapped a wing around him, steadying him. “Idiot!”

As soon as he said it, Revali froze. He noticed what caught Link’s attention now. 

Silence. Absolute silence. Fuck.

“We need to go,” Revali said.

Link could possibly walk now, true, but Revali decided not to chance it. He swung Link back into his wings and stood up. Link moaned quietly but didn’t complain. “Which way, genius?”

When Link responded by carefully resting his head on Revali’s shoulder, Revali’s heart stuttered in his chest. He barely noticed when Link pointed. “Yes, that way, into the darkness. Of course.”

Something shrieked from the dark. Revali cursed and bolted.

He had no idea what those monsters were. They responded to Link's sword but no other weapon, not even an arrow straight to the face. Revali had never seen another monster do that.

Another awful shriek, long and wailing, and Revali urged more speed to his tired legs, following Link’s finger. It was telling that Link never argued that he could run himself, just rested against Revali and pointed forward. 

_ Investigate the strange rumors around the training camp _ , Princess Zelda said.  _ You and Link can handle it, _ she said. And Revali  _ could _ . He could handle it just fine! Just Rito were  _ flyers _ , not  _ runners _ .

Link moaned, very very quietly against his shoulder. Revali told his protesting legs to shut up. 

For once in their relationship, Link depended on him, and Link  _ knew _ it. Link looked at him and knew Revali would keep him safe. 

Whatever Calamity spawn these were, Revali would not let them interfere with that.

“We’re almost there,” Link whispered, and then the fog wrapped around them.

Revali froze instantly. It was like stepping from night into pre-dawn. The fog was soft, grey, and he couldn’t see where the damned light was coming from… or see where the  _ fucking _ laughter was coming from. 

He  _ hated _ this place.

So of course Link relaxed in his arms with a sigh. “We’re safe,” he murmured. Then the bastard went limp.

“Link!” Revali carefully shook him. Link didn’t respond. “No. No, no. Hey, Link, you asshole, wake up!”

Nothing. Revali clicked his beak and shook him again and that was, of course, when the monsters arrived. 

A dozen, at most, and what Revali had first thought to be an easy target. Between him and Link, they’ve destroyed entire enemy camps. A mere dozen? Easy!

Except they refused to fall unless sliced by Link’ damned sword. They stood at the edge of the fog, snarling, massive red beasts that really didn’t look as much like Moblin as Revali originally thought. They were too big, too broad, their features twisted and misshapen, fangs too large in their mouths. 

Monsters, without a doubt, but what  _ were _ they?

“We’re safe, Link,” Revali whispered, walking backwards deeper into the fog. “Wasn’t that what you said? That we just needed to reach the Lost Woods?”

So… now what?

Pale and limp, Link said nothing.

One monster, a head taller than the rest, snarled and stepped forward. That was as far as any of them made it.

Two beasts burst from the fog, one large and grey, the other shining a brilliant gold. The monsters immediately panicked and started stepping backwards, but the two beasts were faster. Still clutching Link to his chest, Revali watched with wide eyes, trying to absorb what was happening.

“Wolves?” he breathed. Neither looked like  _ normal  _ wolves, especially the one that was  _ plucking glowing _ , but they were wolf-shaped and looked more natural than the monsters they were tearing apart with their fangs and claws. It was truly gruesome. Revali had a new appreciation for the cleanliness of his arrows. 

What monsters survived tried to run away, but the wolves herded them into the fog. Revali listened and heard cries and yelps before silence descended again. Then there was only the terrifying sound of laughter again.

“What the fuck, Link.”

When the wolves emerged again, Revali very carefully didn’t flinch. They didn’t get close to Revali, which he appreciated, but it also meant he couldn’t get a good look at them. The damned fog hid too many details. The grey one barked at Revali and then jerked his head in a distinctly non-lupine  _ follow me _ gesture.

“When this is done, Link, we’re going to have a long talk.”

Of course, said long talk didn’t happen. The wolves led Revali into the heart of the Lost Woods, where he encountered a talking tree which helped remind him why he hated that damned crazy place. When Link recovered enough to actually talk about what happened, he distracted Revali with a fresh meal instead, which proved to be an amazing distraction. Revali learned nothing about the mysterious wolves but learned Link was a fantastic cook.

He also learned that Link looked surprisingly lovely when he smiled and thanked Revali. Revali wouldn’t say that it made that mess worth it, but… Well. It certainly didn’t hurt.

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my [tumblr](https://tirsynni.tumblr.com/) for more info on my Zelda, Revalink, and other works, including info on existing WIPs and fic challenges. :D


End file.
